Game On!
by ApatheticDreams
Summary: When L is challenged to a "Who's the best detective" game by a mysterious person, he dismisses it as  nonsense. But he cannot afford to ignore the message after it brings along a suspiciously familiar young woman and an eight year old murder case. LXOC
1. Challenge

^O^ Hello, everyone. I recently had this idea for a fanfiction, and decided it couldn't wait. I really hope I finish this one, because I've never finished a story before...they just seemed to drop off. This is my first OFFICIAL fanfiction...so be nice. =P Rated T because I'm paranoid, and there might be stuff later.

I do not own Death Note, only Shara, Hayate, and any other OCs in this story.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Rivulets of rain trickled down the windowpane, blurring the view to the dismal, outside world. The sky was an ominous shade of grey. The hunched figure on the chair raised a finger to his chin and tilted his head towards the ceiling, as if thinking. On the coffee table beside him, a few crumbs of cake were half-heartedly strewn across a plate. An elegant teacup sat next to the plate, its contents long cold.

The figure sighed and hopped off from his perch on the chair, making his way to the glowing laptop, the only source of light in the room. He lightly brushed his fingers over the keyboard as he scrolled through the list of cases from all around the world. Suddenly, a there was a low beeping emitting from the laptop, and the screen faded into white. A black gothic W appeared.

"Watari," L greeted him. "Is there a problem?"

"You could say that, L," a distorted voice said. "I have detected a bizarre signal. It has been bounced off so many servers that it is nearly impossible to trace back to. It seems to be a message written in code. I am struck as to how this anonymous person almost succeeded in breaking through all our barriers to reach you."

L felt his mouth twitch a bit at the corner. Someone with the intention of contacting him…But who would want to go through so much trouble? After a slight pause, a series of numbers appeared on the laptop screen. L let a slight smirk grace his features before he settled back into the mask of indifference. It was quite simple, really. The numbers symbolised the letters of the alphabet.

_Greetings, L. It feels nice to know that you have received my message. I wanted to see if I could overcome the challenge of contacting you. In the future, I hope that I may be the best detective I can, because the good side will always win! Words are indeed important._

The message seemed innocent enough. An aspiring member of the public, most likely in high school or college, wishing to become a great detective like him. But no. L's darks eyes narrowed a bit as he nibbled on his thumb. A young man or woman intelligent enough to locate him…What would be his or her purpose? One did not just randomly send stealthy _and_ untraceable messages to the number one detective in the world…and definitely not in code as well.

"Watari," he spoke after a few minutes. "Please try your best to trace this message to where it was sent from." It was almost frightening. This person knew that he would receive the message, hence the "it feels nice to know" part.

"Yes, L," Watari responded, before the connection was cut off and L was left staring at the unusual message. Message…he stared at it a bit longer before his eyes widened and he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled down the message furiously and crossed off some of the phrases, the harsh pen strokes almost threatening to tear the paper. _Words are indeed important._ It couldn't be…

_Greetings, L. You have received my message. I challenge you. May the best detective win!_

"A challenge…," he mumbled under his breath. His eyes flickered back to the screen. The seemingly innocent message was still there, bu the key words seemed to jump out at him now.

"A challenge," he repeated. L bit his thumb hard, wincing when he tasted blood. This individual seemed to want to beat him, the best detective in the world. He could be wrong…but then L was never wrong, right? Still staring at the screen, he clenched the piece of paper in his fist. Just who was this person?

Somewhere in Japan…

* * *

><p>"You're challenging L?" a shocked voice exclaimed, before it was silenced when two fingers came over the speaker's lips.<p>

"Calm down, Hayate," a feminine voice spoke. "I'm perfectly capable of handling this."

"But he might be this perverted old man who will molest you if you lose! I mean, you definitely will lose. He's not called the best detective in the world for no reason, you know!" Hayate stated stubbornly with a scowl on his face, crossing his arms and turning his face to the wall.

A soft chuckle came from the girl he was arguing with. She reached up and placed her hands on both sides of his face, turning his head so that he faced her.

"Oh…but I definitely will not lose," she whispered, locking her blue eyes with his brown ones.

Hayate sighed and ran a hand through his messy locks of equally brown hair.

"Just don't do anything rash, Shara…" he grumbled, giving in to her.

Shara smiled and pushed her bangs back from where they fell into her left eye. She turned to the laptop, her long black hair swishing as she did so. Her masked message of challenge glowed eerily on the screen.

"Of course I won't. It's a game, afterall."

* * *

><p>So that's the first chapter, sorry it's short. Please tell me how you felt. PLEASE REVIEW! I greatly appreciate it!:DDDDD I shall try to finish the story this time. Oh, and Shara and Hayate are NOT evil, and they are not in a romantic relationship, although Hayate may or may not feel otherwise...^^<p> 


	2. Forgotten

Hey, everyone! I've finally updated...although it's another short chapter...sorta. Again. please review! :D Oh, and I apologise for any errors in the previous chapter and if there's any in this one. I checked it...so it should be fine.

Again, I do not own Death Note and its characters. Only Hayate and Shara so far.

ENJOY! OH, and special thanks to **littlecookiefan**. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

L looked up as he heard a faint but firm knock on the door. Watari entered the room, carrying a tray of sweets and a pot of freshly brewed tea. He placed the tray on the table and picked up the empty plates.

L twitched a non-existent eyebrow as he stared at a slice of strawberry cheesecake. He plucked the strawberry off the blob of cream with a finger and thumb and slowly raised it to his lips. To ask or not to ask...? While Watari had been busy in the kitchen, L had been pondering the question. Should he just ignore the message and dismiss it as a prank, or unleash a full investigation on the _threat_? He bit down on the fruit and chewed thoughtfully. He was 68% sure that it was a harmless message. Nothing bad could come out of it, right?

He glanced up at Watari. The old man smiled knowingly and said, "XX University. It is in fact only a few minutes away."

L closed his eyes and nodded. He stood up and wiped his hand on his shirt, earning a frown from Watari. The old man shook his head in amusement and made his way back into the kitchen. L grinned cheekily and walked to the window and peered outside, watching a bird hop around a nearby rooftop. The rain had stopped and weak beams of sunlight shone down on the buildings. He would just wait and watch for now.

He walked back to the laptop, satisfied. Pouring himself a cup of tea, he scrolled down the list of cases again, catching sight of a mildly interesting one. He skimmed over the brief summary.

_Murderer who leaves no trace of ever being there and no marks on the bodies whatsoever…except for the heart shape burnt onto the left side of the victim's neck_.

There had been 29 victims already and by the look of it, the numbers were slowly increasing. It seemed that the murders had started years ago, but the police had dropped it when they couldn't find the culprit, or any evidence whatsoever. He rolled his eyes internally. Hopeless fools. The murders had stopped for a few years and started up again recently. L nibbled on his thumb again. _How curious_.

Shara grimaced into the full length mirror, harshly yanking a brush through the tangles in her hair. She growled when a tooth broke off the brush and she threw it at the wall in frustration. She could hear Hayate snickering from outside the door, and she sighed, rummaging through the drawers for another brush. Giving up, she slammed the drawers shut and ran her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to smooth it out.

The door creaked open and in came Hayate, with his perfectly tousled locks. He covered his mouth to suppress his violent laughter. Shara's hair stuck out in all directions, and they were bunched up in knots on some places. Shara growled again and lightly punched his arm.

"Not everyone wakes up with naturally attractive hair," she grumbled, eyeing the top of his head.

"Aha! But most people don't wake up with their hair looking like a bird's nest. You should cut it," he said, mimicking her tone of voice.

Slowly, Hayate's mad giggles diminished into slight chuckles here and there. He pushed her down onto a chair and fished a brush out of his pocket. Shara looked at the brush suspiciously.

"Why do you keep a brush in your pocket?" she said after a few minutes. She fought the urge to laugh and instead watched him in the mirror as he continued to gently pull the brush through the knots in her hair.

Hayate felt a droplet of sweat roll down his face. He stopped brushing and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Ahh…That…you don't want to know!" He hurriedly blurted, eyes darting around for a distraction. "We're gonna be late for school!"

He dropped the brush in Shara's lap and scampered out of the room before she could open her mouth and mention his blushing face. She grinned, picking up the brush and placing it on the table. He would probably need it later. She walked to her bed and shrugged off her pyjamas, picking up a light pink shirt. Frowning at it, she swapped it for a black button-up shirt and poked her arms through the sleeves. Hastily, she also pulled on a pair of jeans. Running her fingers through her hair again, she draped it so that it fell over her shoulders. It effectively covered her neck. Shara sighed and absent-mindedly touched the heart-shaped birthmark on the left side. It had been there for as long as she remembered, and she wasn't quite sure if it even was a birthmark. She shook herself out of her thoughts. Blowing back her fringe, she slung a backpack over her shoulders and made her way downstairs.

Hayate was waiting at the door with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He shoved an apple into her hand and glared at her.

"We're late," he sighed.

After half an hour of dodging traffic and pushing through crowds, they arrived at XX University. An angry professor greeted them, shaking his fist and spluttering with a red face. He gave them a thorough lecture on the importance of being punctual and sent them off to class with a loud bark of, "Detention!" It wasn't the first time that had happened and both Shara and Hayate knew it wasn't going to be the last either.

Class was tedious. It mostly involved the teacher droning on about various civil wars, and the occasional paper aeroplane floating around the classroom. It wasn't middle school, but it felt like most of the people excluding the teacher had turned back into kids.

Shara sat at the very back, watching the traffic on the busy roads, and thinking about the challenge she had given L. She was quite intelligent, not like the smartest student in the university, but still well above average. She had planned, and planned again. Her objective was to work with L. She wanted him to notice her as someone who had potential to become a great detective like him, possibly even better. She wanted to challenge the detective and his number one position. Shara clenched her teeth. It would take effort…a lot of effort. And perhaps many years to achieve.

Secretly though, there was another reason. But it was lodged so far back in her childhood memories that her mind counted it as forgotten.

* * *

><p>:D So what do you think? Press that little button down there and tell me! I'll write the next chapter as soon as possible.<p> 


	3. Ryoka, Rue

Hi again! I'm sorry if anyone had to wait a long time for this chapter. Well...it is quite an important chapter...O.O perhaps sort of detached...? Thank you to all my reviewers who are sticking with this story.^^

I do not own Death Note :( Wish i did.

**littlecookiefan** where are you? :(

Enjoy~~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

L stared at the photos in his hand, unfazed by the blood splattered against the floor, and the body lying in the midst of it all. It was a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties. Her body had been butchered, limbs cut off and her head at an unnatural angle. L peered closer at the image, as if scrutinising a cake on display rather than a murder scene.

The woman had suffered before she died, but was the cause of her death loss of blood, or because her neck was snapped? The latter would be much quicker but most serial killers wanted their victims to suffer. The killer probably cut off the woman's limbs, then as she was painfully bleeding to death, snapped her neck when she was nearly dead. His eyes drifted to her throat, where the heart-shaped burn was. The murderer probably branded his victim as a sign of victory. Using what? The murder scene was set in an alleyway, and there was no visible object that could be used. A cigarette lighter's flame could not be controlled into making such a careful burn. The killer must have used a cigarette.

L carefully looked through the dozen or so photos and placed face-down on the coffee-table. He raised thumb to his lips, lost in thought.

It wasn't every day that you encountered a serial killer or assassin. Most people were fortunate enough to never meet either of them in their lives. As a well-known political figure, one was subjected to many assassination attempts by various masters of the underworld. But for L, serial killers encountered him, and not the other way around. This killer seemed to target young girls and women. _62% that it is a male_, he thought before rolling his eyes, which was actually a very un-L-like gesture. This case was going to be simple. Heavens knows why he chose it in the first place. Then the metaphorical train of realisation struck him and his eyes grew wide. He had heard something a few years back…

_**Flashback**_

_A younger L, perhaps around the age of ten was walking down the hallway of Wammy's Orphanage. Even at a young age, he had an unhealthy slouch, although the faint shadows around his eyes were yet to develop into the dark rings he had now. _

_L was a few steps away from a wooden door which led to Roger's office. There was a slight murmur of voices, but he couldn't make out the words. L wasn't the type to snoop around and eavesdrop, and this was possibly a private, important conversation. Roger would punish him severely for this, but he couldn't repress the curiosity he felt. Nervously hoping that the floorboards would not creak, he crept closer and pressed an ear to the door. _

" –_by a serial killer. That serial killer…the one who leaves a heart-shaped mark on the victim's neck. She was a young woman who worked in prostitution. She left her daughter behind, and I found the child a few days ago. She is very intelligent, possibly even better than A. I would like her to train as a successor for L. What is your opinion, Roger?" That was Watari._

"_I have no qualms about it," Roger responded. _

_There was a shuffling noise accompanied by footsteps and L scrambled back from the door, eyes wide. Relieved when the door didn't open, he pressed his ear against the door again. _

"_What's your name, child?" Roger asked in a hushed voice, as if fearing an eavesdropper…which there was._

"_Ryoka. Ryoka Sinclair."_

"_Then you shall have an alias too. Your letter shall be R and your name shall be Rue from today onwards." There was already an edge of fondness in Watari's voice, and L knew that R would grow up to become a prominent member in society._

_**Flashback**_

A very important reason why L was standing at one of the top pedestals of society was identity, or in his case, the lack of personal identity and a carefully crafted public one. People knew him as L, the great detective who could solve any case thrust into his hands. They admired him, even without knowing him in person. Society relied on him to solve its dilemmas, to give him a greater-than- normal mess and expect him to clean it up.

L had a strong sense of justice. He did not regret his decisions, even when they made a difference between life and death. He did not back down from a case, no matter how difficult or dangerous it was. He had seen countless gruesome deaths, but he had also seen the difference he could make in someone's life. L clenched his teeth. He would track down this vile criminal and give him the punishment he deserved.

It was with these thoughts in his mind that L decided to pay a visit to Watari, who was in his private room. Watari usually did not help with the cases he accepted; He ran errands and acted as a messenger. But this time it was different. Watari was going to give him important information.

L shoved his hands into his pockets and shuffled out the room. He made his way to the elevators and after a few minutes or so, he was standing in front of Watari's room. Without knocking, he entered the room. Watari would know he was coming because of the various cameras and bugs he had installed around the place.

Once inside, he took the time to scan his eyes over the various objects in the room. Various mechanical devices sat in cardboard boxes on the floor. A screen against one of the walls of the room showed the empty hallways and rooms of the mansion. A laptop sat on the desk near the corner. A few pens and pencils littered the desk around the laptop, as well as a cell-phone. Then, there was Watari. He had stood up from his place on the wheelie-chair when he heard L coming in.

"L," he nodded in greetings. "Is there something you need?"

L paused. He needed a way to ask Watari without letting him know that he had listened to an important conversation when he was younger.

"Watari, when R came to the orphanage, what were her circumstances?" L chose his words carefully.

Watari seemed surprised but showed no sign that he suspected him of anything.

"Rue's mother worked in prostitution until she was murdered by a serial killer. As to her father, we can only say that he was a foreigner. Her mother was not a specific target."

"Was the serial killer caught and brought to justice?" L frowned as he asked the question.

After a pregnant pause, Watari answered him.

"No."

L's frown deepened. There was something in Watari's voice, almost as if he was holding a dark secret. L was not an expert in psychology, but he could tell that far.

After another pause, L asked one very important question.

"Was there anything peculiar about the killer's actions? Any signs of importance?" There was a sense of foreboding in the air.

Watari seemed reluctant to answer. This wasn't like him. Watari never hesitated in front of L.

"The heart shaped burn on the side of the victim's neck," Watari finally spoke. "I don't know the exact details. I was not there at the crime scene. Only Rue witnessed w-"

"But Rue is dead," L interrupted, eyes haunted.

Rue had disappeared one day. There was no sign of any struggle, and no sign of anyone breaking in. She had just disappeared off the face of the earth. In the end, she was reported as dead. He had found it hard to believe. Rue had been an intelligent child for her age, and had quickly climbed up in the ranks. She had reached number one in less than half a year after her arrival. He remembered the time she had been officially introduced to him.

_**Flashback**_

"_Rue, this is Ryuzaki. He is L, the one you have been working very hard to succeed," Watari had said this to the girl with a small smile on his face._

_6 year old Rue looked at him with admiration and disbelief etched across her face. She was quite a skinny girl. Her messy black hair reached her shoulders and made her look like a grubby street-urchin, but she had intelligence gleaming within her blue eyes._

"_You're L?" she asked as if doubting his identity._

_11 year old L looked down at her curiously and tilted his head. So this was the girl Roger and Watari had been talking about a few months ago._

"_I am," he responded._

"_Rue is currently in first place," Watari spoke up. "She has been working very hard ever since she came here around six months ago."_

"_It's nice to finally meet you, R," L spoke nonchalantly._

_L would never forget how her face flushed with excitement at how such a simple comment had affected her._

_**Flashback**_

"Rue is dead," L repeated quietly.

Watari was silent as L walked out of the room with barely a word of goodbye. It was very unlike L to be so emotional, if this could be called emotional at all.

As L made his way back into the darkness of his room, he clenched his teeth in determination. He was even more determined now that he was involved more closely with the killer that he would have liked or imagined.

_I will bring you to justice. Mark my words._

* * *

><p>So...how is it? A determined and affected L! I have quite an intricate plot in my mind...Oh and I'm sure everyone knows who Rue is now...^^ Tell me your opinion so far by reviewing~~<p> 


	4. Memory Poet

I am SO SO sorry I could not update sooner. The thought came to me a few times but I kept on forgetting. Plus I've been busy and I still have a slight cold. *sniffs*

Well, this is a short chapter again, because frankly, I can't think of anything right now. My legs ache like hell and I have a headache. Well, enjoy this chapter anyway. ^_^ By the way, check out my new story, **Emotionless Angel**, which I will (hopefully) also update today.

I do not own Death Note, just a death note, a few cds and a keyring.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

To say that Shara was busy would be an understatement. She had planned, and planned again. This time, she would send another message to L, and this time, he would not be able to ignore her.

_Lonely whispers of the North wind,_

_Rustling the leaves of night-time._

_Angelic music streaming from_

_Broken rows of tombstones._

_Nameless shadows dancing through_

_Mirrors in the sky._

_Moonlight forsakes the world._

Shara smiled wistfully. The poem…she had written it with the letters L, R, A, B, N, M, M at the front of each line. There was something symbolic in those letters; something that she knew would catch L's attention. Just…what was it? Some vague memory she had was associated with this poem and L, but what?

Her smile disappeared when she sat down in front of the computer. She frowned, nibbling her bottom lip. _I wonder what L's reaction will be?_

Somewhere far away….

* * *

><p>Fujihara Jirou smiled in glee as he slit the throat of the pretty, brunette woman. Her limbs were mangled and she had an expression of terror. She had been fun…until he had grown bored of her. After that, her death was inevitable.<p>

He threw his head back and howled in laughter, very aware of the fact that he and the now dead woman were miles away from the city, and it was night-time. He dug around his pocket until he found a lighter, and lit a cigarette. Carefully, like a model applying makeup, he branded a vague heart shape on her neck. Grinning, Fujihara Jirou put the cigarette between his lips and took a long drag, before blowing the smoke into the woman's bloodied face.

"Goodbye, darling," he whispered in the woman's ear before stepping back.

He turned around and brusquely walked off. _Now, back to XX University…Ryoka and the boy have been coming late too often. How about a punishment…_The middle-aged man smirked.

_My life is _so_ interesting._

_Beep-beep. Beep-beep._

L swivelled around in his wheelie chair as he heard the familiar noise of his laptop, which indicated that he had received a new message. He put down his teacup and tilted his head to the side curiously. Most anonymous messages for him were received by Watari, which would mean that his person deliberately contacted him personally.

He inspected the laptop screen. A little envelope icon was flashing in the corner. He clicked it, bringing up a new window. His eyes darted up to the sender's name and information. Computer 42 at XX University. L's already wide eyes widened a bit more. He looked down and read it.

_Lonely whispers of the North wind,_

_Rustling the leaves of night-time._

_Angelic music streaming from_

_Broken rows of tombstones._

_Nameless shadows dancing through_

_Mirrors in the sky._

_Moonlight forsakes the world._

L snorted. Not a very poetic person, hm? He reminded himself to look for a person who was failing their English classes at XX University. He carefully read the first line. _Lonely whispers of the North wind._ Was he supposed to look at this poem in a literal sense? Suddenly, his attention was drawn to the front the first line. Was it by chance that the letter began with L? Slowly, he looked at the beginning letter of each line. L, R, A, B, N, M, M. Himself and his successors! L's eyes narrowed slightly. This person knew about Wammy's and the ranks of his successors! But those were the ranks 12 years ago. A had died, and B was now locked up somewhere. R had disappeared and Watari himself had said that she had died. Watari wouldn't lie, right? Who was this challenger?

He read over the poem a few times to memorise it, then pressed the little trash can icon. He pressed the OK button and watched as the message was deleted. Then he turned back to his abandoned teacup, picked it up and took a sip before spitting it back out again. He pouted.

"Damn…it's cold now."

* * *

><p>"Fujihara-sensei!"<p>

Fujihara Jirou rolled his eyes before putting on his best professor smile and turning around to face the source of the voice-a random female student. He had to paw through his memories a bit before matching the face to the name.

"What can I do for you, Suzuki-san?" he smiled warmly, ignoring the ache in his cheeks he almost always got when he smiled.

"I need help with my English essay. Could you help me?"

He inwardly grimaced. He didn't have time for this. He had to plan his next murder. But for the sake of his nice professor image…

"Of course I'll help. What is it you don't understand?"

_Damn._

After spending half an hour teaching the student, he retired to his private office and closed the door behind him. Once settled in his chair, he let his face settle back into an unattractive scowl. _Much better. Now, where did I put that murder plan sheet?_

* * *

><p>Fujihara sure is scary, neh? And there are lot of horizontal ruler thingys too. I think stuff moves a bit too quickly in this chapter, but I am too tired. It isn't the best chapter and it's quite short. Sorry, guys. I will try harder next chapter. ^_^Tell me what you think!<p> 


	5. Unexpected Meeting

Hello! ^O^ I didn't die, LOL. Well, chapter five is finally coming out~ I was a bit sad that chapter 2 of **Emotionless Angel** didn't get any reviews...so please cheer me up with reviews on this chapter :D

I don't own, blah blah blah...I doubt anyone reads this stuff so why bother?

Anyway, enjoy! I tried making it longer...(vaguely) but I figured I should end it there.

**IMPORTANT: Read A/N down below.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

Many people believe that most girls enjoy shopping. That they enjoyed spending, or in Shara's point of view wasting, hours of their lives in malls, browsing through clothes, shoes and accessories. While Shara was an exception to this popular belief, today she had decided to grit her teeth and go to mall in hopes of finding some nice present to give to Hayate for his birthday.

She had asked him what he wanted and he had instantly brushed her off, saying that it was a waste of money to buy something for him, and that he didn't have anything he desperately wanted. Funny much? For every year she could remember, he had always gotten _her_ something for her birthday, and last year had been no exception. And plus, it wasn't every day that a guy turned 20, right?

So currently Shara was walking down a line of shops, peeking into each one briefly. So far nothing had caught her attention, and she was getting pretty desperate. She still had no idea what she was going to get for Hayate, and she had spent two hours at the mall already. Complications had arisen, some involving cranky old women, and others involving annoying gaggles of girls who had been squealing at the various posters of models along the shop windows. To say the least Shara was annoyed, and little did she know that that annoyance would only peak in the next hour.

* * *

><p>L was growing restless. He hadn't received any more unusual messages ever since that nonsensical poem. He still had no idea who the sender was, and he had no suspects either. It couldn't be his successors…they weren't the type to play tricks. And about that first message…the sender had said that they would challenge him to play best detective. The best detective, huh? Neither of them had made any moves yet. He shook his head.<p>

And then there was also the case he was working on. The murderer had killed another woman, and this time he had made sure it was somewhere far away from the city. It had also been raining, so vital clues had been washed away…

Feeling moody, L decided to get some fresh air and get out of his stuffy room for once. He located his worn-out tennis shoes and proceeded to pull them on. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he slouched out of the room. Watari had gone to Winchester to visit his orphanage and have a talk with Roger. He had invited L to come along but he had politely declined and said that he was too busy.

So now there was nobody to buy him cake.

L shuffled down the stairs, not bothering to take the elevator. He had a destination in mind (his favourite cake shop), and it involved cake. Lots of it. And maybe a few cookies as well. He was eager to try out the new super popular and limited green tea and chocolate cream cake. It sounded very tasty and from what he had heard, there was a limited supply. With that thought in mind L quickened his pace, hurrying to where his stomach was taking him.

* * *

><p>After a bit more wandering around, Shara had stopped and finally collapsed in a small café. She still didn't know what to get Hayate for his birthday, and her patience was running low. There had been a few more complications, one involving a guy rolling on the ground in pain…It was his fault for following her around like a dog and attempting to touch her. Shara face-palmed and sighed. There had been quite a large crowd staring at her after she kicked him where it hurts.<p>

"Hi! And welcome to Cute Café! How can I help you today?"

Shara looked up, startled by the voice. A waitress stood there, tapping her foot, pen and paper in hand. Contrary to her bright bubbly voice, she looked rather tired and impatient and held a forced smile.

"Just a cup of coffee will do," Shara mumbled, watching the waitress as she scribbled down her order. Bad day much?

"Any sugar?" the waitress questioned, tensing up. There had been an odd man earlier with an unusual style of sitting. He had asked for nine sachets of sugar with barely a flinch on his face. To say the least, she had been horrified and slightly disgusted.

"Nah…I hate sugar," Shara grimaced. Indeed she hated sugary foods. It was a wonder how people could eat sweets without pulling a nasty face.

The waitress sighed in relief at this. Shara raised an eyebrow questioningly, but did not say anything. It seemed that the waitress wanted as little to do with sugar as possible.

"Please wait a while as we prepare your order," The waitress bowed slightly and actually smiled, before moving off as another table called her. Shara looked around. It was quite a crowded for such a small café now that she looked at it. In one corner, a mother and two children. A few shady-looking men at another corner. A few teenage girls talking and laughing in the middle, and a few other groups of people.

"Here's your coffee, madam," A soft feminine voice interrupted her observations followed by a small clinking noise as a cup and saucer was set down.

She nodded without looking up and took the coffee, sipping it. It was bitter, but she didn't mind. Shara glanced up to see a different waitress this time frowning at how a person could drink coffee without sugar. Bah! People and their opinions…

Shara mumbled and continued sipping her coffee. Bitter food was better than sweet foods, like cake for example…Cake! Shara's eyes gleamed at her ingenious idea. She would buy a cake for Hayate's birthday! It was perfect! No complaints from him, she hoped.

She gulped down the rest of her coffee, ignoring her burning tongue. She had the perfect cake she would get for his birthday. He loved green tea, and there was this new, super popular and limited green tea and chocolate cream cake for sale at the local cake shop. Shara grinned and left a few notes on the table for her coffee, before dashing out the door as quick as her boots would take her. She had better get there before they sold out.

* * *

><p>L was torn between amusement and confusion as he walked out of the café. That waitress's expression had been priceless, but he still couldn't understand what the problem with asking for nine sachets of sugar. After all, she had asked him if he wanted sugar…<p>

His attention was grabbed when a girl stormed past him, a frown on her face. Her black hair was in a mess and she was muttering curses under her breath. She looked like she had been in a fight with the local gangsters. L frowned and bit his thumb. He had no idea how close he was to the truth. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place a finger on what it was. L quickly shrugged off the thought and continued walking. He still had to get to that cake stall. The only reason why he visited the café was because his mind had somewhat fuzzed over due to his insomnia and lack of high-glucose products. Put them together and you've got one sleepy and irritable detective.

L could now see the cake shop. It was so close! And displayed in the glass case in the front window of the stall…His cake! The new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake!

L could feel his mouth already watering. Oh, he couldn't wait to eat it. Tasty, soft goodness and chocolate…

He was again jolted out of his thoughts when the same black-haired girl rushed past him. Hm…her destination seemed to be the cake store too. And she seemed to be in a hurry.

This time, L didn't need his super detective deductive reasoning skills to realise that she was also targeting his new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake.

L froze, feeling chills come over him. His cake! He quickened his pace by a lot, almost running towards the cake shop. Innocent people watching would find it comical to see a pair of odd-looking people charging to the cake store as if their life depended on it. Which, in L's case, it probably was. His new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake was on the line. He would not lose it to some random girl.

With a final burst of speed he charged into the cake shop, hot on the girl's heels. They arrived at the counter at the same time, and to say that the woman behind the counter was shocked would be an understatement.

"Can I please get the new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake?" They both shouted at the same time and so quickly that the words were a blur.

Well, Shara shouted. L just stood there and spoke in that monotone of his, perfectly expressionless face hiding his inner turmoil. His cake was going to be devoured by some random girl. L inwardly screamed in angst and glared daggers at her. Shara didn't even look at him.

The woman whose name was apparently Akane, courtesy of the neat little tag at the front of her starched frilly apron, seemed very confused.

"Erm…could you please repeat that?" She asked politely, unsure who to address first.

"That cake!" Shara and L both pointed to the desired cake.

"Oh, I'm sorry but we only have one left…," Akane said apologetically, glancing at the new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake.

Shara looked back, ready to snap at the person who was also after her birthday present for Hayate. Her sharp ice-blue gaze was met by cool black ones. Abruptly she gasped, mind putting together the puzzle pieces yet body still shocked.

"L?"

L twitched, his gaze going to her. She had her hands over her mouth, clearly surprised at herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry…The name just escaped me. I have no idea why I said it. I mean, I don't even know you!" Shara mumbled in embarrassment, cake forgotten. That was half a lie. She knew him, and the instant she saw him she could associate his face to the name. But other than that…Shara felt very confused. Was this the L she had sent the challenge message to? Or was it someone else?

L could tell she wasn't exactly lying. But his eyes narrowed a fraction in suspicion. Who was this girl and why did she know him?

* * *

><p>Yay! Shara and L finally meet! I thought this chapter was a bit funny...the new, very tasty, super popular, limited green tea and chocolate cream cake~ did I get that right? ^_^<p>

**IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!**

**Important character info: Shara remembered L when she saw him. She doesn't have any memories of Wammy's or anyone else. She will only get back her memories when it is triggered by something. Before Shara meets L in this chapter, she knows there's a detective named 'L', but she doesn't know/remember the person. Now, she thinks they are one and the same, but she is still confused. She challenged 'L' because she had this fuzzy memory associated with him. Sorta like when you wanna remember something but you just can't. Do you get what I mean? Ask me if you don't. **

**Please review~ ^O^**


	6. Complications

Hey guys! ;D

**Well, I have an announcement. **As you all have possibly guessed, fanfiction writing is not my top priority. I'm not like other writers, who update daily or weekly. I'm slow with writing and these days, I've been having trouble understanding this story.

No, I am not going to abandon this story. I promise. But I will update slowly. I know my chapters are short, but I can't help it. I'm trying to improve now.

Thank-you to everyone who has stuck with this story so far. Thank-you to all my reviewers, you've been great.

My only hope is that you continue to read this story, regardless of its slow updates. And I'm really sorry about that. My incompetence.

Anyway, on a lighter note. One anonymous reviewer asked me why Shara isn't the top of her university, even though she was number one at Wammy's. Well, you've basically asked for a spoiler. **Read ahead at your own peril. **

Shara lost all her training after she loses her memories when she goes 'missing'. She goes to a pretty good university, so being near the top but not right at the top would suit her. She's nowhere near, say, L at this moment. But she may regain her intelligence along with her memories.

I hope that satisfied you.

Oh, and many of you probably noticed the change in my summary. I've realised that nothing to do with the 'challenge' has actually happened, but that was actually an excuse to get the two of them together. They are still going to be competetive and some stuff to do with the challenge will still happen. I hope.

Anyway, I don't own Death Note or any of its characters, blah blah blah.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

They both just stood there, staring at each other. It could have been hours or days, even though it was mere seconds. Each waiting for the other person to speak. The air around them grew thicker with suspense. Shara swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling those oh so familiar dark eyes travel over each inch of her. She felt a trickle of sweat roll down her neck, brain still too muddled in shock. It was him.

Abruptly, a wave of emotion flooded over her. He was there. The detective she felt a deep pull towards, emotions harbouring somewhere between family love and romantic love. She wasn't sure why she felt this way now, but she was sure that those emotions were present in the past, and they never really disappeared.

L's eyebrows knitted even further as he scrutinised her, eyes narrowing suspiciously. It was a rare show of emotion, but he ignored that. The impossibly thick air became even heavier, hanging over them like a wet blanket.

This girl…she couldn't be. The cogs in his mind turned faster as he thought about the possibilities. A person involved in a solved case in the past? He would remember her though…Lucky guess? Only 0.001% chance, if at all. Could it be…Rue? L's mind immediately shied away from that idea. He slapped himself for even bringing that up. Just because a girl had Rue's features didn't mean it was her. She was dead. Gone. She should have been forgotten.

But L knew that somewhere, there was a part of him that really wanted Rue to be alive and by his side at that moment. Her bright smile and protective personality….They had fought a few times, but they were only petty arguments such as those over the edibility of sweet foods. There was one thing he had never completely figured out until now…

_*flashback*_

_It had been on one of his trips to the orphanage near Christmas. He had just turned twelve while Rue was now seven. Rue had been staying in the orphanage for a few months now._

_"Mello!" A bright voice called, the owner stepping around a corner of the hallway. First appeared a foot with a worn pink sneaker, followed by tattered jeans and a faded black shirt. It was Rue. Her messy black hair hung about her head in tangles, yet she didn't seem to care. Her sharp blue eyes flitted around for any sign of the blond chocolate-addict, a cheeky smile on her face. In her hand she held a bar of Lindt chocolate which she had stolen from an unsuspecting Mello._

_L watched her from his slouch in the shadows, a bit confused by his stalker-ish tendencies. Since when did he stand near corners watching people? Oh, right. Since he could remember._

_He cautiously stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against, feeling slightly self-conscious when Rue's eyes curiously turned towards the shuffling noise and landed on him. He composed himself the best he could and tried not to act out of place. Personally, he held an unidentifiable affection towards her, but he couldn't place a finger on it. It could be because she was his number one successor, but he knew that it was different._

_"Good evening, Rue," he spoke carefully, relieved when his voice sounded normal. "Playing the prankster again, I see." He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his oversized jeans and waited for a response from the girl._

_"Oh, I didn't know you were coming, L!" she grinned, lighting up as she caught sight of her favourite person. They had become extremely close ever since he had been first introduced to her, even though they were a few years apart. The other kids seemed to dislike their more-than-normal relationship, some blinded by jealousy and others just disapproving. Hushed whispers and mutters travelled around the room whenever the pair was seen together, but Rue didn't care. She had Mello, Matt and L, and although she was stuck in the middle in terms of age, that didn't matter. They were her irreplaceable family-people who she protected and in turn trusted to protect her._

_A few moments after Rue's enthusiastic greeting, L found himself almost falling over as he was tackled into a hug by a black and blue ball of hair and clothes. Something stirred in his chest and L's dark eyes widened at the rare flood of emotions. He gently ruffled the girl's hair, smiling when it became even messier._

_It was then that he noticed the faded pink mark on her neck, distinctly a burn. It had healed over but an angry scar remained, eerily resembling a heart shape. With closer inspection, he realised that it was a cigarette burn, as nothing else he could think of fit._

_"Rue…," he began, intending to ask her about the suspicious burn. She raised her head from where it was buried in his chest and smiled brightly, showing a missing tooth._

_"Uwaahhh! What is it?" she grinned, waving around the bar of chocolate in the air._

_L opened his mouth to ask when he heard a shout from around the corner, which revealed itself to be a furious Mello._

_"Rue, come back here!" a six-year-old Mello screeched, rounding the corner at full speed._

_Rue giggled and ran off, leaving L with a shocked expression on his face and words half-out of his mouth. He frowned, shoving his hands back into his pockets. He sighed and composed his face. It could wait for later…_

_Little did he know that that was one of the last times he would see her again._

_*flashback*_

L shook his head to clear his mind and turned back to the case on hand.

That would leave… a suspect. There was a very high chance she was a suspect in one of his current cases, and that she slipped up a bit. But why would she?

A slight cough interrupted his train of thought. He and Shara both looked to see Akane smiling slightly, although one of her eyes twitched slightly in annoyance.

"Who was wanting this cake again?" she questioned, eyes flitting over the curious pair.

L spoke up before Shara had the time to open her mouth. She looked over at him sharply and he stared backed at her with barely a flinch.

"She can have it," L droned, mildly surprised at himself for rejecting the cake. It was CAKE, dammit. Maybe he was becoming crazy from all his thoughts.

"Then I'll wrap it up," Akane said uncertainly, looking at L, then Shara.

L watched the unusual young woman in front of him, taking in all he could. Her slightly messy black hair, annoyingly long fringe, sharp blue eyes and intimidating presence in general. His eyes travelled down, absorbing the clothes she wore. A black tank-top, white scarf, silver skull chain, denim shorts and knee-length black boots. Her fashion sense was…mostly black and blue…Like Rue…

He slapped himself inwardly again and instead stared at Akane, who was giving the wrapped up cake to Shara. It was a white and gold box with elegant gold writing on the sides. A curly bow adorned the top of the box. Shara thanked the woman and walked towards the door, eyes flickering over to where L slouched. She hesitated and opened her mouth as if to say something, before snapping it closed. Shaking her head, Shara hurried out of the shop, the little bell tinkling as the door closed.

L followed her, silently walking beside her. Shara glanced at him before pausing in her steps. It was an awkward atmosphere…

"Um…thanks, I guess," Shara mumbled. "For the cake, I mean."

L remained silent, thinking and watching.

"I'm Shara," she introduced, shifting the cake into her left hand.

L just stared at her, mind storing her name and face. He had been relieved but also disappointed when he heard her name.

A tune played into his thoughts and he watched as Shara excused herself and fished up a phone from her pocket. Vocaloid, huh?

"Hey, Hayate!" Shara smiled, answering the call. "Yeah, of course. I've got your present. No, don't say that. Maybe half an hour? Okay, bye."

Wordlessly, L dug a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket with two fingers while she wasn't watching and fastened them onto her wrists, causing her to yelp in surprise. Shara looked at L, confused.

"Huh? Wha-?"

"I'm arresting you because I have suspicions that you are involved in a case," L droned, snapping the lock. "And not as a victim, but as a suspect."

Shara's eyes flashed as she glared at him, furiously yanking her hands in an attempt to free them from the constricting handcuffs. Soon, she realised that it was futile. They would not budge.

"Why are you arresting me?" she spat at him, eyes narrowing.

"I will not repeat myself," L replied in a monotone, again reaching into his pocket, this time to fish out his cell-phone.

"Watari, I've caught a possible suspect for both cases. It seems your stay must be shortened slightly. Yes, give my regards to Roger."

Shara froze. Watari…That familiar name. She dug through her mind for where she had heard it, but it was like there was a wall between her and the memory…

"We can do this the easy way or hard way," L warned, lazily dropping the phone back into his pocket. His grip on the handcuffs tightened.

"It would be in your best interest to cooperate," He said emotionlessly, dark eyes piercing into hers.

After hearing no reply, he reached into his other pocket and pulled out a blindfold which he proceeded to tie around Shara's eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" she protested, squirming uncomfortably as the rough material scratched her skin.

"Security measures," L muttered. "Bear with it for a while. We can't have you stalking us after you're let free."

_If I'm let free_, Shara thought bitterly.

Shara barely had the time to reply when she was dragged along to a destination she couldn't even think about. To say she was confused would be an understatement. She was being arrested for something she didn't even know, let alone do. Then there was L…Didn't he know her? If she could remember him, why couldn't he remember her?

After a few twists and turns, Shara had lost all sense of direction. A burning sensation had started irritating her wrists where they chafed against the metal of the handcuffs. She could vaguely hear L walking behind her, leading her to wherever he was going.

A sudden drop in temperature alerted her that they were no longer walking in the sunlight. A musty but familiar smell flooded her senses, bringing with it a vague memory of _him_. And something else.

Another memory was forcefully dragged up from the depths of her mind. It showed her a long corridor, and a familiar piece of paper tacked to creamy walls by a blue pin. At the very top of the sheet, the letters R, A, B, N, M, M were printed neatly underneath each other, with a mark beside each letter. Underneath those familiar letters was more letters and marks, but she was abruptly dragged out of the memory before she could recall them.

"Wha-What was that?" she mumbled under her breath, drawing a curious glance from the detective that she couldn't see. Those letters were the exact ones she had sent to him, exluding the letter L. What did that mean?

A shrill beep emanating from her pocket caused L to look down. He easily plucked Shara's phone from her pocket and switched it off.

'Security measures," he droned again, pocketing her phone.

Shara's jaw dropped as she inwardly cursed the detective. That phone had been given to her for her birthday last year by Hayate. It was an important item, one that she cherished and never lost.

Until now.

The said detective seemed oblivious to her inner turmoil. There was a shuffling noise before another lower beep echoed around the empty space. A key-card to an apartment, she presumed.

The musty yet familiar smell grew stronger, now bringing with it the smell of cleaning agents. She was again abruptly reminded of a building. Possibly the same as the one before.

Pressure on the back of her head made her pause, as fingers attempted to undo the blindfold over her eyes. Shara's own hands itched in their handcuffs, begging to be released. But the only thing she succeeded in was chafing her wrists even more.

As the blindfold fell off, her eyes were suddenly assaulted by bright lights. She blinked a few times to adjust, feeling an urge to rub them. She was in…an apartment building. Surprisingly, there were no other people. But it was probably the ground floor, which meant that there were numerous exits around…

"There are cameras installed in this building," L murmured, as if reading her thoughts. She shivered as she heard the underlying threat. He closed the door behind him and Shara, with a sinking heart, heard an audible click.

Her eyes darted around the floor, carefully examining the ceilings. A dark shadow under the leaf of a pot-plant alerted her to security devices. On closer inspection, sure enough, numerous security cameras glowered at her from various points in the building, their red beams of light observing her every movement.

"Why not just take me to the police station, if you think that I'm a suspect?" Shara questioned, confused. L just stared at her, dark eyes calculating.

"That would not do, Shara-san," he spoke, waiting for her reaction. "Up two percent."

"W-What?" She spluttered, eyes wide with shock. "For what? What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb, Shara-san," L shifted, his eyes drifting up to meet hers. "How do you know who I am?"

Shara was silent for a while, her mind buzzing with questions and unsolved puzzles.

"I just know you, I guess," she mumbled. "The moment I saw you, that's what came to my head. I thought…I thought you knew me too…"

L raised an eyebrow, secretly wondering if this woman had lost her mind. Nobody knew him, except the people from his orphanage and Watari. She couldn't be Rue. Rue was dead. What was this woman blabbering about?

"What was your purpose in calling me "L"?" he asked, nibbling his thumb.

Shara's eyes darted down at that familiar gesture. She bit her lip, thinking.

_So…he really doesn't know me…_

If that was so, why could she remember him?

"So, you arrest me just because I called you L? That's- "

"Don't avoid the question," L cut in, eyes narrowing in suspicion as he muttered another percentage under his breath.

Shara snapped her mouth shut, glaring defiantly at the detective.

"Look," she spat. "I'm not a murderer and I'm not a thief. I haven't committed any crime. I don't know why I called you L, but for some weird reason I know you but you don't know me."

L was now confused, something rare for the detective. If she remembered him, why didn't he know her?

There were only two possibilities, he concluded. One was that she was mentally unstable. The other one would be that she was a suspect who had been stalking him or had received information from another source.

_Or there could be a third option_, his brain reminded him.

Perhaps she was a Wammy kid.

Either that, or she was Rue.

* * *

><p><strong>And, for a recap. This is after I've un-confused myself (dun think that's a word...O.O). <strong>

**Shara remembers L, because she spent the most time with him and she loved/still loves him. She remembers the ranking sheet of paper, because that's what she virtually sees all the time. She does not remember any other characters such as Mello or Matt until later. **

Well, that was chapter six. I find that my chapters are still EXTREMELY SHORT. Sorry, but I'm working on it. ;D

Thank-you everyone, again. Please continue to review.


End file.
